Game darts and dartboards employing anti-bounce-off apparatus

Abstract

There is disclosed a game dart having a pivotally moveable point which is coupled to the barrel section of a dart within an aperture located in the barrel section and of a diameter larger than the diameter of the dart point section. The space between the aperture and the dart point section contains an elastomeric material permitting the point to flex or pivot upon striking a metal rib associated with a dartboard. Other embodiments depict a flexible point section which due to its construction, will flex or pivot; while other embodiments depict techniques for coupling the point section to the barrel to allow flexing of the dart point when contacting a metal rib. Another apparatus which circumvents the bounce-off problem depicts a dartboard employing special cross-sectional metal ribs to provide a sliding surface for the dart when the pointed end contacts the rib.

We claim: 
     
       1. A game dart of the type employing a point portion coupled to a barrel porton, said barrel portion including a flight section for enabling said dart to be thrown and aimed at a target, said target characterized by including a plurality of grid wires, which are relatively impenetrable by said dart point portion, the improvement therewith of apparatus for coupling said point portion to said barrel portion, comprising: a barrel portion having a central extending aperture of a given diameter, a point portion having a point tip at one end and tapering to a fixed diameter at said other end and secured to said barrel portion at said other end with a length of said other end surrounded by said aperture to permit said point end to pivot in all directions by a given amount according to the diameter of said aperture and said diameter selected in accordance with the width of said grid wires so that the spacing between said point portion and said aperture is sufficient to permit said point tip to move a distance at least half of the width of one of said grid wires.   
     
     
       2. The dart according to claim 1 further comprising an elastomeric material located within said aperture of said barrel and surrounding said length of said other end of said point portion to permit said point end to pivot. 
     
     
       3. The dart according to claim 1 wherein said other end of said point portion is coupled to said barrel by means of a spring having a tightly wound coil configuration, with said spring rigidly secured to said barrel portion at one end and encircling and secured to said other end of said point portion to allow said point portion to flex with respect to said barrel. 
     
     
       4. The dart according to claim 1 wherein said other end of said point portion is encircled by an elastomeric annular member located within said barrel portion to permit said point end to flex with respect to said barrel portion. 
     
     
       5. A game dart of the type adapted to be thrown at a target of the type including a plurality of grid wires which are relatively impenentrable by a point portion associated with a game dart, the improvement therewith of apparatus for coupling said point portion to said barrel portion, comprising: a. a cylindrical barrel portion having a point accommodating end and a flight accommodating end, with a coaxial aperture beginning at said point accommodating end and of a given length and diameter,   b. a point portion having a tip end which tapers into a second end of a relatively fixed diameter, said diameter being relatively less than the diameter of said aperture, means coupling said second end to said barrel within said aperture whereby said surface of said point portion as extending within the length of said aperture is separated perpendicular to the axis from said barrel portion by a given distance to thereby permit said tip to pivot or flex according to said separation, said separation selected in accordance with the width of said grid wires to enable said point and therefore said dart to be directed from a wire towards said target when pivoted by said wire, with said separation as provided enabling said point tip to move a distance at least half the width of one of said grid wires.   
     
     
       6. The game dart according to claim 5 further comprising an elastomeric material located between the surface of said point portion and said barrel portion for encircling said point portion to further control the flexing of said point tip. 
     
     
       7. The game dart according to claim 5 wherein said second end of said point section is coupled to a spring member at one end and said spring member coupled to said barrel section within said aperture at said other end.